14 Questions People Ask About How To Prepare For The Collapse Of The Economy

TEC ^ | 8-8-2012 | Michael Snyder

[blam]

This article seems to be less immediate and less desperate than many of his previous articles.

I think I'm seeing similar from other writers too.

They seem to be toning down the severity and suddeness of a collapse and have begun talking about 'years' into the future. (But, not all)

I'm beginning to wonder if I've prepped to soon and too much. I have some boxes of supplies with an early 2009 date on them.

Am I being swayed by election year propaganda? (Happy days are here again)

Albeit, I still think we're headed for a collapse of some sort...I just don't know when.

[familyop]

"But without a doubt, society is starting to come apart at the seams and I do expect rioting and major civil unrest in our major cities at some point in the future."

I'm trying to imagine formerly federally funded local government employees and pensioners rioting after a bond collapse and repudiation of debt (bond and income "haircuts," whatever). More of them than usual have already begun committing mob style crimes within the system. Maybe after an economic bust, they'll resort to more direct and traditional criminal activities.

As for the more impoverished rabble, though, many of them have been poor for a long time and are learning more about getting by. Maybe some of those in heavily populated urban areas will riot sporadically.

I doubt that all of the cities, including suburbs, would light up at once, although history shows that riots happen. Most Americans wouldn't have any direct experience with it, IMO, but would be watching news about it on television. Granted, some of our friends here live very near urban areas with high crime rates and see the matter more personally.

My prediction is that many of us will simply get much more poor and learn a lot about frugality and work. And fuel prices will continue high (so not much roving activity by large, pillaging gangs as predicted by some).

We'll see.

[familyop]

"I'm beginning to wonder if I've prepped to soon and too much. I have some boxes of supplies with an early 2009 date on them."

Maybe give some of the older stuff to a charity (food bank, neighbor or something) and add new stuff to your storage? Only a suggestion.

[Chickensoup]

Maybe give some of the older stuff to a charity (food bank, neighbor or something) and add new stuff to your storage? Only a suggestion.
______________________

you cant give it away, it is out of date and no charity will take it because of liability issues.

[Dutch Boy]

For some time now I have wondered about the real value of gold it things really collapse. If there is no economy and little prospect of one coming along soon, I would assume that gold would be valued at next to nothing. What would the purpose of gold be under those conditions? I would think bartering items like clean water and systems to make it clean, food, seeds and related items, guns and ammo, tools, first aid supplies, alcohol, gasoline and other items wold be valued much more.

[Kartographer]

Preppers’ PING!!

[onona]

Eat It, Just Eat It !

Sewiously, put this in to your regularly scheduled program and replace anew. Inventory Management: First In, First Out.

[blam]

"Maybe give some of the older stuff to a charity (food bank, neighbor or something) and add new stuff to your storage?"

Nah.

If TSHTF, I'll be the one with 'old stuff' not 'no stuff'. (LOL)

[JRandomFreeper]

because you don't want water sitting around indefinitely.

Why not? It's all about 4.5 Billion years old here on Terra.

Water doesn't go bad. It can go flat, as it outgasses entrapped gas, but pouring it between two containers a few times fixes the flat taste.

Water doesn't go bad.

/johnny

[Kartographer]

I’ve talked to hundreds of preppers over the last two years and many people who like me try and provide guidance to those who prep or starting to and the one comment I hear the most is that they have a ‘feeling’. These people are from all social, education and financial backgrounds. They say that there are demonstrable statistic that show that the number of people missing airline flights that end up crashing is higher than the average number of people that miss flights. I know myself there have been times when I have putted around doing this and that in the morning, which is unusual for me only to leave and find that a big wreck has taken place along my route to work. I say listen to that little voice in the back of you head, because there’s a good chance it knows what its’ talking about.

Something wicked this way comes, are you ready?

For those who are just starting or are old hands at prepping you may find my Preparedness Manual helpfull. You can download it at:

http://tomeaker.com/kart/Preparedness1j.pdf

NOTE! THIS IS A FREE DOWNLOAD. I DO NOT MAKE ONE CENT OFF MY PREPAREDNESS MANUAL!

For those of you who haven’t started already it’s time to prepare almost past time maybe. You needed to be stocking up on food guns, ammo, basic household supplies like soap, papergoods, cleaning supplies, good sturdy clothes including extra socks, underwear and extra shoes and boots, a extra couple changes of oil and filters for your car, tools, things you buy everyday start buying two and put one up.

As the LDS say “When the emergency is upon us the time for preparedness has past.”

Or as the bible says: A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
NIV Proverbs 22:3

Lastly this for the doubters and the scoffers.

“There is no greater disaster than to underestimate danger.

Underestimation can be fatal.”

[Vendome]

Without getting into the details of expiration dates(real and synthetic) the important thing is “You prepped and are preppared as you going to be today”.

Importantly, is your mindset, what you have at your disopsal to get you through whatever and you will be more at ease than those who “Never thought it could happen”.

You are preppared and should be relaxed, as you have done what you could.

[blam]

"Seriously, put this in to your regularly scheduled program and replace anew. Inventory Management: First In, First Out. "

All my supplies are stored to withstand a category five hurricane, 95% humidity and 95 degrees temeperature even if the structures are blown away. I'm on the coast in hurricane alley. It'll be unpacked only once...that'll be when I use it.

[Uncle Ike]

” You are preppared and should be relaxed, as you have done what you could. “

But not *too* relaxed - even though the trend line appears to have flattened to some extent, there are any number of events or combination of events (natural or man-caused disasters) that could tip things over the edge precipitously and catastrophically...

Keep your eye on the minor, contributary, trend lines, too - and keep your head on a swivel....

[blam]

"Seriously, put this in to your regularly scheduled program and replace anew. Inventory Management: First In, First Out. "

All my supplies are stored to withstand a category five hurricane, 95% humidity and 95 degrees temeperature even if the structures are blown away. I'm on the coast in hurricane alley. It'll be unpacked only once...that'll be when I need to use it.

[Secret Agent Man]

A question that should be asked is what to do when the government is considering you as their own personal Walmart? Government may be worse than regular looters and thieves.

[Vendome]

True.

OODA

[blam]

"You are preppared and should be relaxed, as you have done what you could. "

Thanks. I do feel good about being prepared.

It's been only recently that I've come to realize that this 'thing' may be a while (kick the can down the road) in coming when it was just yesterday that it seemed like everyone (the experts) was breathless about telling us to get ready in a hurry. (In fact, remember the collapse that was to happen the summer of 2010?)

[Uncle Ike]

” OODA “

??

I can usually figure these acronyms out from context, but this one is beyond me... ;)

[Citizen Tom Paine]

This gold question bothers me. I tend to think that bottles of wiskey may be a better medium of exchange than gold. I can picture talking to a service station bartering a bottle of whiskey for 3 or 4 gallons of gasoline.

[Old Sarge]

I doubt that all of the cities, including suburbs, would light up at once, although history shows that riots happen.

Yes, they do. Yes, they have. And yes, they will.

I have been writing AAR's about this very subject. The cities lighting up all at once has happened before: 1968, after the MLK assassination; 1992, the Rodney King riots spread to numerous cities; and 2011, the London riots burned nationwide, especially fueled by text messaging and flash-mobs.

Imagine the effect of the EBT cards stopping; the welfare and unemployment checks don't hit the banks; and what happens when the paychecks stop for the first responders and the LEO's. I've talked to several at the local level, and I already know what will happen: they will abandon their posts and head for the house to protect their own. And that will open the gates for the barbarians to enter.

As far as precious metals are concerned: gold and silver don't taste very good, and they make lousy soup stock. The only metals you should invest in are lead, copper, and brass - and you NEVER BARTER THEM.